


Witness

by Puzzle_with_Infinite_Pieces



Series: Gargoyles: One Shot, Two Shot, Red Shot, Blue Shot [8]
Category: Gargoyles (Cartoon)
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Reunited and It Feels So Good, heavy on the comfort, post timedance, so far as I know this is canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27019624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puzzle_with_Infinite_Pieces/pseuds/Puzzle_with_Infinite_Pieces
Summary: "Yet, Lex saw that Brooklyn appeared younger, in many ways, than he was before his timedance. Brooklyn had joy back that, Lex recalled, Brooklyn hadn’t had before. He was perplexed by where that joy came from."Gifted to my Matron of Honor - thanks for everything you've done to help me in the last several weeks - all the words are true, every bit of it.
Relationships: Brooklyn & Lexington (Gargoyles), Brooklyn/Katana (Gargoyles), Clan as Family - Relationship, Lexington/Staghart (Gargoyles)
Series: Gargoyles: One Shot, Two Shot, Red Shot, Blue Shot [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599325
Comments: 12
Kudos: 13





	Witness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lostinthegoldenpines](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthegoldenpines/gifts).



The evening air blew cool and The Pack had, for the moment anyway, been thwarted. 

As they all touched down on the parapets of the clocktower, everyone had so many questions about Brooklyn’s adventures that the tension in the air could be cut straight through. 

Yet, no one asked as there are too many other things to settle given that Nash had participated in the evening’s festivities. 

Katana and Brooklyn both looked Nash over for scrapes and cuts as he swatted both of his parents away stating that he was fine. Nash made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he would much rather meet his new uncles than worry over any injuries. After both parents were satisfied, Brooklyn and Katana both sought shelter for the egg they’ve been carrying through space and time. 

For a moment, the glance they shared was an open sigh of relief after a long journey. 

They were finally in a time, space, and place to stay, and it changed things. 

Brooklyn visibly let go of the weight of supporting his mate and children on his own, and he leaned on the clan. Lex saw the visible shift in his posture, as Brooklyn placed his lips on Katana’s forehead in a loving, though very human, gesture. Katana leaned into Brooklyn, and she allowed herself a moment’s respite in his arms before following in Nash’s footsteps and getting to know those she had only heard about in stories. 

Lex approached Brooklyn warily. The seconds in their time had been years for him, and Lex was more than unsure of how to tackle this conversation. 

“I know,” Brooklyn’s voice sounded more gravely with age. “I look different. I’m older than Goliath now, physically.” 

“I know. That’s ... weird.” Lex rubbed the back of his head lamely. 

“But, things don’t change. I’m still his second. I’m still your brother. These things don’t change even with time.” Brooklyn turned to Lex and smiled. “It’s like Hudson said once ‘There’s no use going back. We move forward.’”

Lex smiled back. He noticed how Brooklyn wore heavy armor now and was laden with both familiar and unfamiliar weapons. Additionally, his brother’s left eye was missing and replaced with a simple black patch. The timedance had clearly worn on him in many ways. 

Yet, Lex saw that Brooklyn appeared younger, in many ways, than he was before his timedance. Brooklyn had joy back that, Lex recalled, Brooklyn hadn’t had before. He was perplexed by where that joy came from. 

“When I courted her,” Brooklyn turned to look at his wife and his son, “I never dreamed it would actually work out. There were so many reasons I thought she’d never want me. Not the least of which was because the first time I met her I was almost 6 years her junior. Which, you know feels more like 10 for obvious reasons.” 

Lex turned to him and let his jaw drop. “Wait for real?” 

“I wasn’t serious with her. Nor did I really want to be, then, at least. When I returned and was zapped back to her time, I was her age ... her equal. Things felt different.” Brooklyn shook his head. “I stopped pursuit.” 

“Why?” Lex inched closer. 

“Before it was play love, nothing more than a crush, it felt fake. It was like with Maggie something that bummed me out, but in the end, easy to get over. It was flirting and stupid. But, when I came back the second time ... that time, it was real. So real, that it scared me. I was so uncertain that I was good enough for her because of my past. Would she still want me over time? Would she accept the fate of traveling through the time stream because the Phoenix Gate wasn’t stopping its relentless pursuit of me anytime soon? Would she still love me after she knew what had happened with ... you know ...” Brooklyn hung his head. “But, I remembered you, and the things you told me in the long months and days after the possession.” 

Lex cocked his head slightly. “I don’t remember what I said.” 

“You told me, the day Hudson brought me home after the shooting, that I would find someone someday who would look past everything that had been taken and fill it with something special. You said I was worth loving, and I needed to hear that. You didn’t deny that I made dumb choices, you yelled at me for being stupid, but in the same breath, you reminded me that I had valid needs that were deserving of care. I never forgot that.” Brooklyn smiled at his son, giving him a small thumbs up as the hatchling reached to scratch Bronx’s ear. 

Lex’s eyes welled with happy tears as he remembered that night. “I was so scared that night. I thought you were going to die. I couldn’t sit by and say nothing, and I was right you were stupid. But, I was also right in that you were and are deserving of the happiness you found. I’ve known her for all of 6 minutes and it’s clear she’s crazy about you.” 

Brooklyn smiled. “It helps to hear that sometimes. I sometimes forget to ask for that reassurance.”

“You’re alive. You’re allowed to have needs, Brooklyn. If you need to be reassured that you have needs that are allowed to be validated, I’ll record myself and replay it for you 100 times an evening.” Lex placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. 

“Now you really do sound like you did then.” Brooklyn glanced in Lex’s direction. 

“Well good, because clearly you haven’t changed that much.” Lex was happy that he risked the joke when Brooklyn tossed his head back and laughed. 

“I missed you. Every day. Every year. I missed you most of all. Maybe, that’s unfair to the others, but I cannot change that truth.” Brooklyn’s voice was soft as he stated the near silent confession, and Lex blushed. 

Lex waited a moment because it’s clear Brooklyn had more to say. 

“I love you. You know? More than I can explain, and I’m grateful to you for this.” Brooklyn gestured to his family. “You grant me peace. You gave me hope when I was hopeless. You stopped me from thinking of myself as only a burden. You made me realize that no matter how stupid my mistakes may have been that I was more than those mistakes or choices. You loved me when I couldn’t love myself. Lex, dude, you ... I just can’t ... I hope you get it.” 

Lex didn’t have words, and instead, tackled Brooklyn from the side and held tight. “I love you, too. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for.” 

“So are you,” Brooklyn’s voice was calm, fatherly, and reassuring. “So, Hudson mentioned on our glide over here that you found someone, too, recently? Deets?” 

Lex blushed hard, but he began to explain how he and Amp met before an over excited Nash came barreling over and plowing straight into his father’s side. 

“Dad! Come on! I wanna see the rest of the city! You promised when we got here we’d see it!” Nash pouted. 

“Tomorrow.” Brooklyn grinned giving his son a side hug. “‘M beat tonight.” 

Nash grinned right back and smashed his face deeper into Brooklyn’s side. “Fine!” 

It was at this moment that Lex realized two things. 

First, it was uncanny the resemblance between Brooklyn and his son. Nash may have had his mother’s coloring; but in all other ways, he was Brooklyn’s twin. 

Second, this moment was like some kind of strange prediction he had dreamt once. He saw the reality of every reassurance he ever gave Brooklyn winding and playing out in this exact moment before them. 

It was impossibly beautiful. 

Lex knew, whether he had admitted it or not, that he would likely never have any children of his own. And yet, there was Brooklyn with a child to love and another on its way. There was something beautiful in the witness of his brother’s joy. It was a hard fought joy, and it had been painfully earned. 

Lex had not been able to witness Brooklyn and Katana mating ceremony. He was unable to witness the bond created between his rookery brother and his mate, and yet, here, in this moment, Lex witnessed and signed his name to the validity of their bond. 

For, even as that moment passed, it was constantly being created in each breath they took together. 

**Author's Note:**

> So, my life has been a bit of a shit show in the last 48-72 hours. Pandemic weddings are hard y'all. This is fic is actually based on a text conversation I had with my Matron of Honor about some stuff I'd been struggling with this weekend that came to a head like yesterday/the day before. 
> 
> So, yeah ... self-projecting never hurt anyone especially when it was in character af. 
> 
> I really wanted to write some fluff, and this seemed to be a great way to get some fluffy stuff into the universe. So, enjoy! 
> 
> This is random, but if you could please let me know how you like to see the works formatted in the comments that would be great. I've formatted the fics a little differently in this series. I kind of like the extra space between the paragraphs because I usually read on mobile and that makes it easier for me to read. 
> 
> BUT, if those extra spaces make it hard on my readership, I will gladly go back and edit out the spaces. 
> 
> I'm also still seeking input about which longer series to write - Hudson's retirement and the birth of Tachi OR an extended Macbeth fic. 
> 
> Thanks for continuing to support my work! I really appreciate it! Every comment is a day a write faster.


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